


Shattered Reflections

by Belladonna (DeadFoxy26)



Series: Time Travel and Other Plot Devices [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 09:39:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16830052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeadFoxy26/pseuds/Belladonna
Summary: Bits and pieces of alternate universes for Harry Potter characters. I might expand upon them later, I might not.





	1. Picture Perfect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure where exactly I was going with this, but had to write it down so it would stop crowding my head.

He was beautiful. His skin was pale, smooth and flawless. His features were perfectly sculptured, with delicate refined bone structure and an almost dainty build. His midnight hair was artfully tousled and curled becomingly around his small, heart-shaped face. His large, emerald green eyes were bright behind a pair of smart, silver spectacles perched upon a small, button nose. Full, kissable lips were quirked upward in a brilliant smile that could light up a room. The only flaw was the set of red and gold robes draped across his small form, signifying a Gryffindor quidditch player. Of course, the unfamiliar racing broom and the gold snitch clasped in his hands also pointed to that conclusion. It was a mystery, though, as to why the portrait of a Gryffindor quidditch player was hanging in the new Potion Master’s class. 

//

Professor Slughorn was taking a year-long sabbatical and had been replaced by a grim-looking man with greasy, dark brown hair and scowling eyes that were a dull, blue colour. The headmaster had introduced him as Evan Prince, a former student and temporary head of Slytherin House. So far, the portrait hadn’t spoken to anyone, only smiling and shaking his head in response to questions. That is, until the sixth-year Newt class.

//

“Settle down!” the Professor snapped, stalking into the class with his black robes billowing behind him. They quietened and watched carefully as he strode to the front and turned to face them, scowling fiercely. “As you are aware, I am Professor Slughorn’s replacement for this year, Professor Prince. I do not tolerate any foolishness or carelessness and you will be removed from my class if you cause any form of trouble. Do I make myself clear?” he snarled. With that, he flicked his wand at the blackboard behind him. “Your instructions are on the board. Get to work!”

//

Severus Snape was on the verge of killing someone, preferably the Gryffindor duo two desks away who seemed to be amusing themselves by flicking random ingredients towards his cauldron.  
“You do not strike me as a person that should be bothered by the juvenile antics of others,” a voice whispered beside him. Startled, the Slytherin turned to find the boy in the portrait smiling at him. Shrugging, he turned back to his cauldron just in time to see a crocodile heart, thrown by Black, land in his potion. He barely had time to duck before it blew up, showering the class with his half-finished potion. He stood up from underneath his desk and froze when he came face-to-face with the glowering professor. The man glanced down at his ruined cauldron and a strange expression flickered across his face for a moment before he once more frowned at Snape.  
“What happened?” he asked tersely. Snape scowled but made no move to answer.  
“I believe it was a flying crocodile heart. Very tricky things, they are,” a voice spoke up. The whole class looked up at the boy, whose portrait had somehow escaped being coated in sludge. Professor Prince raised an eyebrow.  
“I see. Very well then, Mr Snape, you will not be punished this time. I do suggest, however, that you guard your potion against flying ingredients more carefully in the future.” He waved his wand and banished the potion, which had luckily been harmless at the time, before sweeping away towards the front of the class. Snape stared after him for a moment before turning to the boy as everyone else returned to their own potions. The boy was gazing at Potter and Black, the tiniest of frowns marring his forehead.  
“Thanks,” Snape muttered and the boy’s eyes lowered to meet his.  
“No problem. I have a personal issue with bullies. I’m Harry, by the way,” he said quietly.  
“Severus,” Snape answered and was rewarded with another bright smile.

//

It wasn’t until three weeks later that Harry spoke again. During that time, the students of Hogwarts had come to fear, loathe and respect the dour Professor Prince. The man was harsh, critical and permanently scowling but at the same time was incredibly brilliant. He knew exactly how to fix any unexploded, botched potion and seemed not to care about House rivalries, treating every student on the basis of their potions expertise. Once again, it was during the sixth-year class that the mysterious portrait spoke. Professor Prince was furious, as all the Slytherins’ potions had exploded, coating the room in a noxious-smelling purple sludge that dyed everything it came into contact with. Yet again, Harry’s portrait had been mysteriously spared, causing several students to suspect it had been warded against such eventualities. Considering its location, this was probably for the best.  
“Potter! Black! I know it was you!” the man spat, his eyes dark with rage. “I will have your heads for this! Detention and fifty points from Gryffindor! Each!”  
“Breathe, Professor. You’ll have an aneurysm if you don’t calm down,” a soft voice spoke into the silence that had filled the classroom. Gazes turned to the portrait, his expression concerned but his eyes were sparkling with concealed mirth.  
“Do not make me dock more points from Gryffindor,” Professor Prince snarled, but the boy merely smiled, causing the man to sigh and raise his eyes to the ceiling. “Class dismissed. Potter, Black, stay behind to discuss your detentions.” Once all the students had left, Prince turned a baleful glare on the two Gryffindors standing by his desk. “You two are going to be spending the next week cleaning out cauldrons, organising the stores closet and preparing potions ingredients. Starting tonight at seven, you will meet me here and don’t bother bringing protective gloves. Now, get out.” As the two left, they heard the portrait speak once more.  
“Excellent restraint there, Professor.”  
“Be silent, Harry.”

//

“So, Harry right? What’s the deal between you and Professor Prince? Are you family or something?” Sirius asked the portrait curiously once the two students were alone in the classroom. They were three days into their detention and had observed the rather odd relationship between the painting and the Professor with interest. James Potter looked up from the cauldron he was scrubbing to listen carefully. The boy in the portrait looked surprised by the question before laughing suddenly.  
“Merlin, no! Professor Prince would probably commit suicide if we were related. I know him from my time at school. He hated me from day one. It was only after I turned seventeen and we got to know each other a bit better that we came to some sort of truce. Of course, I still take every opportunity to annoy the hell out of him,” the painting grinned mischievously.  
“You do that merely by existing, brat” a cold voice drawled behind them and there stood the professor, an unpleasant look on his face that made James and Sirius wince. Harry, however, just grinned widely.

//

‘I reckon they were together, you know?’ Sirius said, causing James to choke on his pumpkin juice. Remus blinked at him while Peter pounded on James’ back.  
‘What?’ demanded James once he got his voice back.  
‘Prince, and that Harry kid. I think they were together, romantically,’ Sirius repeated, waggling his eyebrows with a rougish grin.  
‘First of all, gross. Second, Harry seems way too cool to have been interested in that sour git. And lastly, have you ever considered how young he must have been when he died for his portrait to be animated like that?’ his best friend retorted, mopping up the spilled juice as he did so. Sirius’ face fell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So basically Snape gets chosen to go back in time after surviving the Battle of Hogwarts. He killed the Dark Lord after Harry sacrificed himself in the forest. Older now, and full of regret, he decides to guide his idiotic younger self as well as those dreadful Marauders in an attempt to make sure that Harry Potter grows up happy and without the looming threat of the Dark Lord hanging over his head. He has portrait Harry to remind him of what he hopes to achieve.


	2. He was Dead to the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry dies. He has an interesting conversation. He makes a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All quotes taken from J.N. Williamson's work: Dead to the World.

We live in a perceived world…of sequential cause and effect – a world in which space and time are limiting factors…What then if these basic laws…are threatened (and) we are faced with apparent evidence that they may be illusions…? – Lawrence LeShan, The Medium, The Mystic, and the Psysicists  
XXX  
It was with supreme difficulty that he tore his gaze away from the scene of his enemies gathered around his lifeless form and focused on the shadowy figure standing silently beside him.  
“You want me to what?” he asked incredulously, his voice echoing strangely. He ignored it, just as he ignored the way he seemed as insubstantial as smoke to the people crowding around what had, until just recently, been his body. Death just stared at him expectantly. He frowned.  
“Why would I go back and live part of my miserable life all over again? It seems incredibly pointless to me. Unless, of course, there are certain conditions that would make it substantially less miserable. I assume there are going to be?” he probed, his frown lessening when Death nodded.  
“YOU WILL RETAIN NOT ONLY YOUR MEMORIES, BUT ALSO THE ABILITIES YOU HAVE MANAGED TO ACQUIRE IN YOUR PREVIOUS LIFE. YOU MAY ALSO BRING ACCOMPLICES TO AID YOU IN YOUR SECOND ATTEMPT, BUT ONLY THREE. THEY SHALL RETAIN THEIR MEMORIES AND ABILITIES AS WELL IN ORDER TO BETTER ASSIST YOU. YOU CANNOT FAIL THIS TIME, AS THERE WILL BE NO THIRD CHANCE. MAGIC’S CHILDREN MUST SURVIVE THE COMING ONSLAUGHT,” Death intoned solemnly. Harry nodded, considering his choices.  
‘Very well, please can you bring back the souls of Remus Lupin, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. They, of all people, should be able to help me establish myself as a credible third faction in the war between Voldemort and Dumbledore. Although Snape would be useful too,’ he mused out loud, a small frown furrowing his brow. ‘No matter. Snape will just have to be convinced the old-fashioned way.’  
…  
“THERE IS A LIMIT TO HOW FAR BACK I CAN SEND YOU. YOU WILL BE NO YOUNGER THAN NINE. YOUR ACCOMPLICES WILL BE AGED RESPECTIVELY TO YOU. I CAN DO NO MORE FOR YOU. IT WAS DIFFICULT ENOUGH TO GET FATE TO AGREE TO THIS, BUT SHE IS FOND OF MAGIC’S CHILDREN,” Death said, ignoring the rest of the summoned souls, his gaze firmly on the only human to have mastered all three of his Hallows. Even they were not enough to save the youth from the hordes of magic-fearing muggles that had overrun the magical community after the epic final battle with Voldemort had revealed their existence to the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A rather overdone take on what would happen if Voldemort revealed the existence of magic to the world and the muggles reacted badly. This is a Harry who gets the chance to fix that and so creates a third faction in the war between light and dark focused solely on keeping the balance and maintaining the secrecy of magic.


End file.
